That’s the Difference

Who doesn’t like bargains? And Panasonic just got one. They have signed as the jersey sponsor of the senior Indian football team. The Japanese electronic major shelled out a handsome Rs. 4.75 crores for a 3 year deal.

Handsome?!? Yeah, it’s football after all.

Not a bad start this, but when compared to cricket in India, the amount almost demeans the sport. Nike had paid BCCI, a whopping $ 43 million in 2005 for a 5 year kit contract with Indian cricket team.

BCCI is the richest and has the highest income of all the national cricket boards of the world. BCCI’s revenue crossed a Rs. 1000 crores mark in the 2008 fiscal. Thanks to global media rights deal with Nimbus worth $ 612 million, official sponsors deal with Air Sahara worth $ 70 million and another media rights deal with Zee for $ 219.5 million.

Their revenue grew manifolds but their tax return didn’t. Thanks to their recognition as a charitable society till very recently. Thanks to I.T department, which said “cricket is only incidental to their scheme of things” and removed the charity clause, BCCI has to pay a Rs. 120 crore as tax plus a penalty amount which is yet to be quantified.

That’s just a little dent for the mighty BCCI which has millions in the bank unlike our very own and very poor national game, Hockey which is not even able to pay it’s players their hard-earned salaries. Everybody knows about the ongoing fiasco which I guess can be discussed in the comments or can be referred from Mohit Banka’s post. :)

This is India. We love our cricket and don’t give a damn about other sports. That’s the difference…